Consolation
by Sara Jaye
Summary: Suddenly it didn't matter that Sandi had broken the all-important oath. She hadn't deserved THIS.


It wasn't fair.

Ever since Devon Summers came to Lawndale high with his sleek black hair, shiny white smile and cherry-red convertible, the Fashion Club had taken a strict oath that they would wait for _him_ to come to _them._ But of course, Sandi just had to make that extra grab for power and plan something behind their backs. Tiffany had spotted her at the mall buying a sexy new outfit, while Quinn and Stacy noticed the meaningful looks she would give Devon.

_"She's like, planning on asking him out for Valentine's Day!" Quinn had moaned while Sandi was in the ladies' room during lunch period one day. "We took an **oath**!"_

_"Yeah, and this was a** real **oath, not like the silly one we took on that Paintball trip!" Stacy cried._

_"So unfair," Tiffany added. "Should we like, stop her?"_

_"What choice do we have?" Quinn sighed. "On Valentine's Day, we all wear our cutest red or pink outfits and make sure we get to Devon before Sandi does."_

_"But like, wouldn't we be breaking the oath, too?" Tiffany asked. Quinn narrowed her eyes._

_"Desperate times call for desperate measures."_

If everything had gone according to plan, Quinn would have been on the arm of Devon Summers while Sandi fumed in the background. Instead, she, Tiffany and Stacy had arrived just in time to see Devon giving a rose to some brainy girl while Sandi looked on in devastation before running away in tears.

_That_ was the unfair part. Losing Devon was a bummer, definitely, but what was unfair was that Sandi was somewhere crying her eyes out over that jerk.

"It's her own fault," Quinn muttered. "She's always trying to one-up me, it's about time she got a taste of her own medicine." Nope, even that didn't make her feel better. "Oh, _fine_. Why am I always the one stuck having to do the right thing around here?"

Still holding the long-stemmed rose Joey had given her (or was it Jeffy? Or Jimmy? Who cared?), she ran off in the direction she'd seen Sandi go.

-x-

She found Sandi standing outside, shivering in her miniskirt and cropped sweater combo and still crying. This was too weird, Quinn had never actually seen Sandi cry before. Not like this, anyway.

"Um...hi." She nervously approached her rival. "Sorry about Devon. But if it makes you feel any better I bet he's a _really_ bad kisser."

"What do _you_ care," Sandi snapped. "Go on and laugh, I broke the oath so I totally deserve this."

"Well, yeah, you kinda did. Broke the oath, I mean," Quinn said. "But you didn't deserve to have some jerk make you cry on Valentine's Day!"

"Oh, come off it, Quinn!" Sandi whirled around and stared her straight in the eye." You couldn't be happier to see me so miserable, admit it! After all our fights and all I've done to you, you couldn't wait to see me broken and humiliated!"

"Not like this, Sandi. Not like this!" Impulsively, Quinn threw her arms around the other girl. "I was so mad when I found out you were going to ask Devon out, but when I saw him giving a rose to that girl, I realized it wasn't worth being upset over a guy with such bad taste in girls, you know? He's a jerk and he doesn't know what he's missing."

Sandi sniffled, hesitantly leaning her head on Quinn's shoulder.

"Thanks."

Silence followed. Long, uncomfortable silence. Finally, Sandi lifted her head and immediately went for her compact.

"Ugh, way to ruin your makeup, self," she muttered. "Um...thanks, Quinn. I...I didn't know you cared that much." _That makes two of us_, Quinn thought.

"Well...it's like they say, you know? Sisters before misters, or something like that." She'd heard Daria say it once and it probably fit here. "So...I guess we should go back inside now."

"I guess."

It was then that Quinn realized she was still holding the rose. It was a little wilty now, and the cold had definitely gotten to it. But it was alive and it still looked pretty enough.

"Here." She held out the flower to Sandi, whose eyes widened in shock.

"Er...thanks, but...we're both _girls_."

"Nooo, it's not like_ that_! I just...well, between Joey and Jeffy and Johnny I'll be up to my neck in them, and you need it more than I do," Quinn laughed. Rather than scowling like she normally did, Sandi smiled and took the rose.

"If anyone asks, though, a mysterious stranger gave it to me."

"Yeah, there you go!" Quinn smiled, and offered her hand. As their fingers touched, though, she knew she wasn't the only one who felt a strange, wonderful friction.


End file.
